The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinct cultivar of southern highbush blueberry plant botanically known as a Vaccinium corymbosum L. and herein referred to as ‘TH-929’, as herein described and illustrated.
The new blueberry plant variety ‘TH-929’ was selected in Griffin, Ga. in 2005. The new variety ‘TH-929’ ripens around the second week of May in southern Georgia. The fruit of the new variety ‘TH-929’ are large and have good flavor. The new variety ‘TH-929’ is vigorous with an estimated chilling requirement of about 500-550 hours at or below approximately 7° C.
Pedigree and history: ‘TH-929’ was selected in 2005 at the Georgia Experiment Station in Griffin, Ga., originating from a cross of ‘TH-622’ X ‘Millennia’ made by Dr. D. Scott NeSmith in 2002. The female parent (‘TH-622’) is a non-patented breeding line, and the male parent, ‘Millennia’, is the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,816. The new variety was first asexually propagated in Griffin, Ga. by softwood cuttings. Asexual propagation by softwood cuttings has also been performed in Alapaha, Ga. The selection has been tested in plantings at Alapaha and Griffin, Ga. established in Fall 2007. In 2010, the variety was entered into preliminary trials at sites in California. In 2012 ‘TH-929’was entered into growing trials in Peru and Mexico. The new blueberry plant variety ‘TH-929’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagation by softwood cuttings in Griffin and Alapaha, Ga. Plants from softwood cuttings have been directly planted in the ground.